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Freedom
by Jonathan Franzen
by Jonathan Franzen
God, I saw Jonathan in person at Christ's church Cathedral. Over 800 people there. I got my book signed,and when we first talked, I said "Hey" and he said "Hey" back. Cool Dude. We talked about how I got a copy of Time with his picture on the cover. I had tried to find a copy in the store with no luck, so a friend of mine, I had mentioned that to, stole a copy from her eye doctor's office. I told Jonathan about that,and he smirked and kinda chuckled,and signed my books, and the cover of the magazine. He read outloud from his book reading a scene about masturbation, and read it in the church, with no reservations, and that got some quiet laughter in the background. The book is funny thus far,and I am going to comment more after I've finished it.
More later..........I added more to my review in the comments. Thought it was a great book,and meeting Jonathan in person was truly amazing. Now I suggest DICKENS for the holidays. Oprah picked both A TALE OF TWO CITIES,AND GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Great books,and right now I am enjoying A CHRISTMAS CAROL again, my annual holiday read!
Gary
More later..........I added more to my review in the comments. Thought it was a great book,and meeting Jonathan in person was truly amazing. Now I suggest DICKENS for the holidays. Oprah picked both A TALE OF TWO CITIES,AND GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Great books,and right now I am enjoying A CHRISTMAS CAROL again, my annual holiday read!
Gary
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Craig
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rated it 4 stars
Oct 10, 2010 05:13am
I will be interested to hear your further comments on the book.
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They announced the wrong date. It was today, Dec. 6th. Great interview. I recorded it,and she announced her new books for the holidays! GREAT EXPECTATIONS AND A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens! Have a "Dickens" of a good time,and read them! Jonathan is a Dickens fan!
I finished the book finally. It took me a while due to time factors with other committments, but finished it,and loved it. It's a great story,and so effectively written. The style is just amazing, and I 'd highly recommend it to anyone. It's about how freedom these days, seems to come as a price, that many people aren't very happy,and deals with a family's trials in every day living. I think Franzen is an amazing writer,and everyone should experience this book!
Seriously, dude, you need to download Yahoo messenger to your computer,and we could do some serious chatting about life,and books. I already indulge in such a guilty pleasure. Time for you to do the same? Let me know your screen name, big guy!I am loving Dickens right now. Such a book bitch he is!
Oh, fuck Dickens! He bores me. I don't do Yahoo Messenger, either. And I'm only on facebook like once every two weeks. Man-up and talk on here, BIOTCH!
Dickens is like a god.....I love A TALE OF TWO CITIES,and GREAT EXPECTATIONS,and i reread A CHRISTMAS CAROL every Xmas.You need to give him another chance......book bitch.
Sounds like you had a fun interaction. Love the bit about his church reading.Freedom, although I never got around to posting a review, was my co-favorite 2010 fiction release. Wonderfully crafted, intelligent, and with something to say.
Meeting authors is always interesting to me. I discussed meeting Tim 0'Brien in my recent review of "Going After Cacciato". http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
For about 3 years I was running to STL for book signings. Saw a large number of authors! Had a great time. Now they are charging anywhere from $25 to $50 bucks a person to get tickets,and a copy of the book before hearing the author speak,and get your book signed. They would try to restrict the books you brought in. I brought them anyway,and dared anyone to mess with me..... no one did.....
However, I know why they began to charge..... a lot of people were showing up to hear the author,and then leave without buying a book, and getting it signed. I most usually would buy the newest book,and get it,and others I brought signed.
So....now I don't go to these signings anymore.....so much of the most recent fiction I find poorly written,and just not a lot of imagination going on.....I am now more drawn to the classics,and being challenged in what I read,and have began to lose touch with the most recent writers.....however.....I am reading a Christopher Buckley novel right now.....I would pay to see him....He's amazing! Older author....however.......
Gary wrote: "For about 3 years I was running to STL for book signings. Saw a large number of authors! Had a great time. Now they are charging anywhere from $25 to $50 bucks a person to get tickets,and a copy..."
I've been out of the book business for a while, but I wonder if more costs of the author attending the event has been shifted to the bookstore. It could also be an attempt by independent bookstores to generate a little more cash. Usually if they are restricting how many books the author will sign that comes from the author/agent. I remember dealing with that many times as a collector and a bookseller. Believe me the author and the bookseller neither one want to create conflict with readers. I find if I call ahead, roll out my credentials, I don't have any issues with bringing too many books to sign.
I found that most times the authors would get pissed off if the bookstore tried to limit books to be signed. Once a woman began to chew on a lady friend of mine about having other books,and the author stood up,and said in front of the employee that he would sign every copy she brought. I said right to the woman that "Thank God authors were kind to their readers" ...... bitch.....
If Stephen King ever does a signing in STL, I am showing up with a little red wagon full of his books. I have every one he's written....some in paperback, but all the rest in hardbacks, first editions, from IT on.......Yes, I am a fan....
Gary wrote: "If Stephen King ever does a signing in STL, I am showing up with a little red wagon full of his books. I have every one he's written....some in paperback, but all the rest in hardbacks, first editi..."Stephen King is such a superstar. I'm afraid a burly man would appear putting you under one arm and your little red wagon under the other arm and showing you the curb. haha We had Anne Rice to an event in SF and they restricted her to sign only 3. We talked and she wanted to sign up to 5 so she was really cool about it. This was before she started writing religious books. Anyway it was MADNESS. We had people lined up around the block to see her. 60% of the people came dressed as vampires and creatures. It was wild, barely contained. The cops showed up and helped with crowd control. She stayed until the bitter end.
